Alex Finney scored an own goal and conceded a penalty as Maidstone blew a 2-1 lead in the last five minutes to lose against Tranmere.

You had to feel who Finney who earlier had given United the lead and had an excellent game at the back.

But his afternoon unravelled in the 85th minute when he put through his own net and moments later he gave away the spot-kick as Rovers pinched a 3-2 victory.

Maidstone stuck with the back three who performed so well at Boreham Wood but with Alex Wynter injured and Stuart Lewis banned, Jack Paxman and Blair Turgott came into midfield.

Paxman and Jai Reason were disciplined in front of the defence, with Turgott behind the big front two of Lafayette and Delano Sam-Yorke and able to get at the Rovers defence.

United looked to hit their strikers and it almost paid off inside seven minutes as a poor defensive header by Adam Buxton freed Sam-Yorke who fired wide from a good position.

Bar a Paxman mistake that let in Jay Harris - he wasted the chance - Maidstone were untroubled at the back by a Tranmere side still with title ambitions.

The Stones went in front in the 28th minute.

Referee David Rock inadvertently did them a favour by calling back play after Paxman took a quick free-kick.

Reason then clipped the ball into the box, with Sam-Yorke and Will De Havilland winning flick-ons before Ross Lafayette’s header came back off the bar for Finney to pounce.

Having looked nice and solid it was a mistake in the Stones box from a cross that presented Cook with a simple equaliser in the 39th minute.

Maidstone’s response was instant with Turgott racing into the box and being taken down by Buxton.

Lafayette became United’s fifth penalty taker of the season, sending Scott Davies the wrong way from the spot to restore the lead in the 41st minute.

Tugott might have made it three before the break but a heavy touch took him wide and he fired over.

There were few chances in the second half but it certainly wasn’t a case of Maidstone sitting back.

They boldly took the game to Tranmere - keeping the ball as far away from their box as possible - which made sense rather than inviting Rovers on to them.

Rovers looked to step it up in the last 10 minutes, Cook heading over from Jack Dunn’s corner.

The equaliser in the 85th minute with the unfortunate Finney diverting Dunn’s cross past Worgan.

A minute later Finney’s rash challenge on Connor Jennings gave a Tranmere a penalty.

We were into the 88th minute by the time Buxton beat Worgan low into the corner for Tranmere’s winner.

Josh Hare went close to an injury-time equaliser, Davies holding on to his header.

Maidstone: Worgan, Hare, De Havilland, Beckwith, Finney, Twumasi, Reason, Paxman, Turgott, Lafayette, Sam-Yorke. Subs not used: Prestedge, Loza, Wraight, Anderson, Osei.

Attendance: 2,502 (309 away).